House of Representatives Committees

Joint Standing Committee on Public Works
Committee activities (inquiries and reports)

Development of Land at Lee Point, Darwin, for Defence and Private Housing

Print Chapter 1 (PDF 17KB) < - Report Home < - Preliminary Pages : Chapter 2 - >

Chapter 1 Introduction

Referral of Work
Site of the Proposed Work
Inquiry Process
Inspections and Public Hearing

Referral of Work

1.1

On 26 May 2004 the proposal to develop land at Lee Point in Darwin, NT, for Defence and private housing was referred to the Public Works Committee for consideration and report to the Parliament in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969 (the Act).1 On 6 December 2004 the work was re-referred. The proponent agency for this work is the Defence Housing Authority (DHA).

1.2

The Hon Peter Slipper MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance and Administration, advised the House that the estimated cost of the proposal, including headwork charges, civil works, contingency and professional fees, was some $40 million. He added that, subject to parliamentary and DHA board approval, the works would commence in February 2005.

 

Site of the Proposed Work

1.3

The Lee Point site occupies 77 hectares of land at Darwin’s northern fringe, approximately 1.2 kilometres from the Casuarina shopping centre and 16 kilometres from the CBD. It is bordered by the suburb of Wanguri to the South and the suburb of Tiwi and the Royal Darwin Hospital to the West.

1.4

The site was formerly owned by the Department of Defence (Defence) and is bordered by Defence land to the East and North.

Inquiry Process

1.5

The Committee is required by the Act to consider public works over $6 million2 and report to Parliament on:

1.6

The Committee called for submissions by advertising the inquiry in the Northern Territory News on Saturday 5 June 2004. The Committee also sought submissions from relevant government agencies, local government, private organisations and individuals, who may be materially affected by or have an interest in the proposed work. The Committee subsequently placed submissions and other information relating to the inquiry on its web site in order to encourage further public participation.

 

Inspections and Public Hearing

1.7

On 19 July 2004 the Committee inspected the site and environs of the proposed works, and received a commercial-in-confidence briefing on project costs from the DHA and its consultants. A public hearing was held in Darwin later that day.4



Footnotes

1 Extract from the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives, No. 165, Wednesday, 31 March 2004 Back
2

Public Works Committee Act 1969, Part III, Section 18 (8) Back

3 Public Works Committee Act 1969, Part III, Section 17 Back
4 See Appendix D for the official Hansard transcript of the evidence taken by the Committee at the public hearing on Monday, 19 July 2004 in Darwin Back

Print Chapter 1 (PDF 17KB) < - Report Home < - Preliminary Pages : Chapter 2 - >

Back to top

We acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and acknowledge their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the elders past, present and emerging.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website may contain images and voices of deceased people.